Yuri Prokofiev (SIA Sita Nature Park) describes himself as a keen hunter, which is why he wanted to set up a deer park on his country estate. He has succeeded in doing so and now owns a 150-hectare deer park on a bend in the River Pededze. However, in addition to the deer park, Jurijs has also acquired natural floodplain meadows that encircle the bend in the Pededze in a horseshoe shape. As the river floods the area, the meadows cannot be used for anything other than grazing; that is why Jurijs has a herd of Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle.

The greatest challenge for the farm is to coexist with and understand the wild and unspoilt nature that prevails in the Sita Pededze Nature Reserve. Natural meadows are an integral part of Jurijs’s farm – indicator species can be found almost on the doorstep, which is why looking after the meadows is part of the job. The meadows have been here for hundreds of years, so they are governed by the laws of nature, which dictate how one must live and farm. The meadows also give back – in the form of hay and pasture – and they are also an excellent place for bees to gather nectar. And the herd fulfils its role – by grazing the floodplain meadows, the natural grasslands are restored and maintained.

Jurijs is a member of the “Latvijas liellops” cooperative; beef produced on the farm can be purchased from the cooperative’s online shop.